Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 03 May 2024 at 18:29
I would like to start this week’s message by wishing you a very happy new year and saying a huge thank you to you all for working so incredibly hard over the past few weeks and months. I hope you have all managed to find some time to spend with friends and family over the last couple of weeks.
As you’ll have seen in the news, the NHS is continuing to face significant challenges as a result of both COVID and the other challenges we normally see during winter. I am acutely aware of the effect which this is having on you, and I personally saw the impact of long waits are having first-hand whilst I’ve been helping out on our welfare wagons between Christmas and New Year.
During these shifts, I was really impressed by how well our people are working with colleagues in our acute hospitals to keep patients safe. I appreciate the challenge of doing the best for our patients in such difficult circumstances and the frustration of long waits and will continue to work with leaders across the NHS in the region to put in place actions to try and reduce these delays. I also received some positive feedback from you about the support the wagons are providing and am now working to ensure that the support they provide can continue over the coming weeks and months.
You’ll also know that COVID-related sickness absence across the NHS is high and rising, and we are no different. I’d like to remind everyone of the importance of being cautious and following the guidelines which are in place to help keep us, our families and our patients safe. This January includes social distancing, continuing to wear the correct PPE with patients and while travelling with colleagues, and taking lateral flow tests at least twice a week. More detail about the precautions all of us must take was included in last week’s leadership message.
I’ve had lots of feedback from you about the impact of REAP 4, particularly the impact that the cancellation of training has had. As such, we are aiming to reintroduce Essential Care Skills (ECS) and other training over the coming weeks as the pressures we are currently experiencing begin to ease. Plans are in place to provide ECS sessions in the next few weeks, recognising the limitations of current staffing levels, courses will be compact and focused on priority topics.
We will also be bringing you more information about the next steps for our Trust and our priorities for the coming year, including our Fit for the Future programme which aims to enable all of our people to make improvements that benefit our patients and staff.
Despite all the challenges we face, the excellent care you provide means that we still receive hundreds of compliments about care each month. As always, please remember to look after yourselves and each other, ask for support if you need it and speak to your line manager if you have any specific concerns.
Stay safe and thank you once more for everything you are doing for our patients.
Tom Abell
Chief Executive
6th January 2022